


How?

by orphan_account



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Off-Screen Scene, Pre-Epilogue Mockingjay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-10
Updated: 2015-02-10
Packaged: 2018-03-11 12:31:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3327191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss and Peeta try to cope: alone or together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	How?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DragonofMordor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonofMordor/gifts).



> Summary: Katniss and Peeta try to cope: alone or together?  
> Rating: PG - 13  
> Pairing/s: Katniss/Peeta  
> Warnings: none  
> Word count: 735  
> Disclaimer: I DON’T own anyone or anything. I DON’T own the characters. The fanfic is written for fun, NOT for profit.

Primrose Everdeen is dead. She was killed during the rebellion when she made an attempt at protecting innocent children.

Real or not real?

Real.

Katniss squeezed her eyes shut for the split of a moment, but the images she could see behind closed eyelids weren’t soothing. The lump in her throat was always present, at times so thick that breathing was close to impossible.

The fog had lifted though. Slowly, ever so slowly, the surrounding world moved back into focus, turned into a clearer image. The pain was a dull sensation in the depth of her chest, never leaving, greeting her like the stab of a knife in the early morning or whenever a nightmare rose her from a restless slumber.

Her eyes blinked open again. The pale, grey sky above reflected her mood, and so did the landscape. Or what was left of it. Her hands closed into fists, holding on to dead grass. Trees pierced the sky like tall, crooked needles. Flowers remained a distant memory.

No life was left in District 12. No life seemed to be left within her either.

Katniss took a deep breath, waiting for the familiar scents of the forest to tease her nostrils. All she could smell was the sadness of an abandoned area where not even the tiniest hint of hope was left behind.

At least so she believed at times. Until she saw him. Katniss adjusted her position enough so she could watch Peeta as he made his way up the hill. He looked better, she thought. Healthier. Less confused. Less bothered by the difference between the real world and what had been put into his mind by the Capitol.

As soon as only mere feet were separating them though, she could see it in his eyes. He was better, but changed nonetheless. Peeta would never be the same again. Would never fully recover from the nightmare he had been put through. In fact, so she thought, it was a wonder he hadn’t been shattered into pieces for good.

“Hey,” he greeted, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The pain shone through in his eyes, yet she could see hints of the familiar twinkles as well.

“Hey.”

Katniss watched as he sank into the rotten grass by her side, with a lot more ease than one would expect from a man with only one healthy leg. She frowned at the mild rush of warmth that filled her chest. Peeta did this to her, she knew. Peeta sparked something deep within her that refused to make itself shown when she was alone.

“How?” she asked. Only when his curious gaze met hers, she realised she had spoken the word out loud.

“How do you manage to cope?” she forced herself to ask. Feelings...Katniss was still bad at articulating those, even more since the loss of Prim. With Peeta, however...how could she stay silent? How could she keep him at arm’s length now that she was so grateful he didn’t see her as an enemy anymore? That at least in some way, she had him back?

Peeta shrugged. “I’m here with you. What else could I possibly ask for?”

What else? Katniss swallowed as she felt the lump thicken again. Peeta had lost a lot himself. There was no one left but her. Yet here he sat, so calm, so determined to keep going while she felt like she was about to fall every moment.

“I know you’re safe,” he added when she didn’t respond. “Protecting you was always my highest priority. I want peace for us, Katniss.” He paused, eyes darting towards a point in the far distance before he continued. “We came back to the ruins of what was once home. But I still hope that one day, we can be happy out here. As long as I know you’re here, I’ll be able to keep going.”

Katniss found herself unable to answer, and she felt she didn’t have to. Peeta didn’t meet her eyes again but inched closer. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders like he had done so many times before. Once again, Katniss felt a rush of warmth. Her eyes squeezed shut as she felt hot tears rising.

Maybe something was left in District 12 after all. Even if it was just an occasional spark of hope, lasting for only a short, almost beautiful moment.


End file.
